Disney Dream Cruise Ship Arrives In Port Canaveral

With fireworks and thousands of enthusiastic onlookers, the Disney Dream, Disney Cruise Lines' first new ship in a decade, arrived at its new homeport of Port Canaveral, Fla.

The 4,000-passenger, 130,000-ton Dream is Disney's largest ship ever, about 50% bigger than the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder (Disney just upped the size of Dream from an earlier estimate of 128,000 tons).

The new ship introduces such innovative features as AquaDuck, the first water coaster at sea, and inside cabins that offer virtual views through Magical Portholes.

The ship's horn impressively honks opening notes from five familiar Disney tunes – not just When You Wish Upon a Star like the earlier ships.

The early morning arrival of the Dream in Port Canaveral, about an hour from Orlando, follows a 16-night trans-Atlantic voyage from Germany, where the Dream was constructed.

Port Canaveral was recently expanded to handle the addition of the Dream and sister ship Disney Fantasy, currently under construction in Germany and set to debut in 2012.

After a naming ceremony on Jan. 19, charity events and a maiden voyage on Jan. 26, the Dream will cruise on three-, four- and five-day itineraries from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas. All include a call at Castaway Cay, Disney's private Bahamas island, and Nassau.